PRISMA Flow Diagram Builder
Enter the numbers from your searches and screening, or count records straight from your exported files. The builder calculates each stage, checks that everything adds up, and draws a publication-ready PRISMA flow diagram with a text alternative and a paragraph you can adapt for your methods.
Diagram
Used in the diagram's title, such as “PRISMA 2020 flow diagram: Screen use and sleep”.
Numbers
Identification
Count records from exported files
Paste or choose the BibTeX, RIS or CSV file each database exported. Records are counted, and duplicates across the files found by DOI or by title and year.
Screening and eligibility
Leave blank to calculate from the numbers above.
Leave blank to calculate from the numbers above.
Leave blank to calculate from the numbers above.
Included
Leave blank to calculate from the numbers above.
Several reports can describe one study.
Count included studies from a Literature Matrix export
Paste the CSV exported from the Literature Matrix Builder with your included studies; the number of studies is filled in.
Checks
1 problem, 5 points to check
- Problem: Missing valueEnter the records identified from databases or registers; every other number follows from them.Go to the field
- Check: Missing valueEnter the duplicate records removed, or 0 if there were none.Go to the field
- Check: Missing valueEnter the records excluded at screening, or 0 if none were.Go to the field
- Check: Missing valueEnter the reports not retrieved, or 0 if all were.Go to the field
- Check: Missing valuePRISMA 2020 asks for the reasons full-text reports were excluded, with the number for each.Go to the field
- Check: Missing valueEnter the number of studies included; several reports can describe one study.Go to the field
Appearance
Change the wording of boxes
Leave a box blank to use the standard wording.
Hide or label arrows
Your diagram
Export
SVG and PDF stay sharp at any size, for Word, PowerPoint and journals. PNG is 300 DPI.
Text alternative
Paste this into Word's or PowerPoint's Alt Text box.
PRISMA 2020 flow diagram, with its numbers still to be entered.
Table view
Table view
| Stage | n | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Records from databases | — | |
| Records from registers | — | |
| Duplicate records removed | — | |
| Records marked ineligible by automation tools | — | |
| Records removed for other reasons | — | |
| Records screened | — | |
| Records excluded | — | |
| Reports sought for retrieval | — | |
| Reports not retrieved | — | |
| Reports assessed for eligibility | — | |
| Reports of included studies | — | |
| Studies included | — |
The diagram and its checks
What each box reports, and the checks the builder runs.
Diagram type
- PRISMA 2020
- The flow diagram for systematic reviews and meta-analyses, from identification through screening to inclusion.
- PRISMA-S
- PRISMA 2020's flow with every database and register listed with its own count, as the PRISMA-S extension for reporting searches asks.
- Scoping review (PRISMA-ScR)
- The same flow in the language of scoping reviews: sources of evidence rather than studies.
- Rapid review
- PRISMA 2020's flow for a rapid review, with a note on streamlined screening.
- Narrative review workflow
- A simpler workflow for a narrative review: sources found, screened, read in full and included.
The boxes
- Records identified: everything the database and register searches returned, before removing duplicates.
- Records removed before screening: duplicates, records marked ineligible by automation tools, and records removed for other reasons.
- Records screened and excluded: titles and abstracts screened, and those excluded at that stage.
- Reports sought and not retrieved: full texts you tried to obtain, and those you couldn't.
- Reports assessed and excluded: full texts assessed for eligibility, and those excluded, with the number for each reason.
- Studies included: the studies in the review, and the reports that describe them. One study can have several reports.
- Other methods: records found by searching websites, organisations or citations, followed through the same stages in their own column.
The checks
- Numbers: every count is a whole number and none is negative.
- Missing values: the numbers the diagram needs, and those PRISMA 2020 asks for, such as reasons for exclusion.
- Arithmetic: each stage equals the one before it, less what was removed or excluded.
- Flow integrity: no box removes more than reached it, and there are no more studies than reports.
- Sequence: each stage is no larger than the one before.
What should I do next?
Next in the research journey: research design.
Research Design Builder
Helps you understand, compare and justify research designs against your own project, without choosing one for you.
Variables Builder
Brings your variables together from your project, and helps you define, operationalise and measure each one.
Sampling Technique Builder
Helps you define your population and understand, compare and justify sampling techniques, without choosing one for you.
Qualitative or quantitative research?
How qualitative, quantitative, mixed-methods and multi-method research differ in questions, data, sampling, analysis and quality criteria, and how to choose the approach your research question needs.
How the builder works
- Choose the diagram: PRISMA 2020, PRISMA-S (every source listed), a scoping review, a rapid review, or a simpler narrative review workflow. Add the other methods column if you also searched websites, organisations or citations.
- Enter the records identified, or count them from the BibTeX, RIS or CSV files your databases exported; duplicates across the files are found for you.
- Enter what was removed and excluded at each stage, with the reasons reports were excluded. Stages left blank are calculated from those before them.
- The checks show at once where numbers don't add up, go missing, turn negative or run out of order, each with how to fix it.
- Change any box's wording, hide or label arrows, and choose orientation, colour, grayscale or high contrast, and the typeface.
- Export SVG or PDF, which stay sharp at any size, or a 300 DPI PNG, or copy the diagram straight into Word or PowerPoint, with its text alternative and a paragraph describing the flow.
What this tool can't do
- The diagram shows the numbers you enter or calculate from them. It can't check that they match what your searches and screening actually found.
- Duplicates counted from exported files are matched by DOI, or by title and year. Reference managers match more loosely, so their counts can differ; records without a DOI or title aren't matched at all.
- The PRISMA 2020 layout follows the published templates. PRISMA-S is a checklist for reporting searches; its diagram here is the PRISMA 2020 flow with every source listed. Scoping, rapid and narrative review versions adapt the same flow; check your journal's or university's requirements.
- Arrows can be hidden and labelled, and every box's wording changed, but boxes can't be moved; the layout follows the template so diagrams stay recognisable.
- The diagram isn't saved between visits. Download the SVG or PDF to keep it.
- Everything happens in your browser; no data leaves your device.
Awaiting review
- Methods review: the diagram wording against the PRISMA 2020, PRISMA-S and PRISMA-ScR publications.
- Validation review: the consistency checks and their messages, by an experienced systematic reviewer.
- Accessibility review: the diagram's text alternative and table with screen reader users.
- References: the PRISMA statements and guidance, after academic review.
Privacy
Everything stays in your browser. Nothing is sent anywhere or saved, and it is cleared when you leave the page.